• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.109-117
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• 1998

Role of $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin complex in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization in neutrophils has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, effects of chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and imipramine on the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization, including $Ca^{2+}$ influx, in C5a-activated neutrophils were investigated. Complement C5a- stimulated superoxide production and myeloperoxidase release in neutrophils were inhibited by chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and imipramine, except no effect of imipramine on myeloperoxidase release. A C5a-elicited elevation of [$Ca^{2+}$]i in neutrophils was inhibited by chlopromazine, trifluoperazine, imipramine, staurosporine, genistein, EGTA, and verapamil but not affected by pertussis toxin. The intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release in C5a-activated neutrophils was not affected by chlorpromazine and imipramine. Chlorpromazine and imipramine inhibited $Mn^{2+}$ influx by C5a-activated neutrophils. Thapsigargin-evoked $Ca^{2+}$ entry was inhibited by chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, imipramine, genistein, EGTA and verapamil, while the effect of staurosporine was not detected. The results suggest that $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin complex is involved in the activation process of neutrophils. The depressive action of calmodulin inhibitors on the elevation of cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ level in C5a-activated neutrophils appears to be accomplished by inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ influx from the extracellular medium.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.167-170
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• 2004

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Moutan Cortex Radicis extracts and paeonol, a major component, on rabbit platelet aggregation and thromboxane (TX) $A_2$ formation. Moutan Cortex Radicis methanol and butanol layers (100 ${\mu}g/mL$) showed the weak inhibitions, and water layer (100 ${\mu}g/mL$) had no effect on the collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Whereas, hexane and EtOAc layers potently inhibited the collagen (3 ${\mu}g/mL$)-induced platelet aggregation with the $IC_{50}$ values of 10.9${\pm}$1.0 and 31.5${\pm}$0.8 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Paeonol isolated from the hexane-acetone layer specifically inhibited the collagen-induced platelet aggregation with the $IC_{50}$ value of 113.1 ${\pm}$ 0.9 ${\mu}M$, whereas it had little effects on the other agonists such as AA-, thrombin-, A23187- and thapsigargin-induced platelet aggregations. Paeonol also potently inhibited the collagen-induced TXB formation in rabbit platelet in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that paeonol may inhibit rabbit platelet aggregation by interfering with an essential step in collagen-induced platelet activation and $TXA_2$ formation. Paeonol may be a promising candidate for an antiplatelet agent.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.311-316
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• 2003

Endothelins secreted from keratinocytes are intrinsic mitogens and melanogens of human melanocytes in UVB-induced hyperpigmentation. To elucidate the cellular mechanism of antimelanogenic activity of bamboo extract, the effects of three ingredients of bamboo extract on endothelin 1 (ET-1)-induced $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization were investigated in cultured human melanocytes. ET-1 receptors in human melanocytes were characterized by using specific antagonist, and ET-1 was found to increase intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) by activating ET-B receptor. SM709 (1,2-O-diferulyl-glycerol), an ingredient of bamboo extract, inhibited ET-1-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, although another ingredients SM707 and SM708 had no effect on ET-1-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in human melanocytes. SM709 ($100{\mu}M$), however, did not affect $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase induced by thapsigargin and caffeine, suggesting that SM709 has no effect on the $Ca^{2+}$ store in melanocytes. Furthermore, SM709 did not affect $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase induced by LPA or ATP, known as G protein-mediated PLC activators like ET-1. Taken together, it is suggested that SM709 antagonizes ET-1-induced transmembrane signaling through ET-B receptor, which maybe a possible underlying mechanism of antimelanogenic activity of bamboo extract in human melanocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2013

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are the pacemaker cells in the gastrointestinal tract, and histamine is known to regulate neuronal activity, control vascular tone, alter endothelial permeability, and modulate gastric acid secretion. However, the action mechanisms of histamine in mouse small intestinal ICCs have not been previously investigated, and thus, in the present study, we investigated the effects of histamine on mouse small intestinal ICCs, and sought to identify the receptors involved. Enzymatic digestions were used to dissociate ICCs from small intestines, and the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration was used to record potentials (in current clamp mode) from cultured ICCs. Histamine was found to depolarize resting membrane potentials concentration dependently, and whereas 2-PEA (a selective H1 receptor agonist) induced membrane depolarizations, Dimaprit (a selective H2-agonist), R-alpha-methylhistamine (R-alpha-MeHa; a selective H3-agonist), and 4-methylhistamine (4-MH; a selective H4-agonist) did not. Pretreatment with $Ca^{2+}$-free solution or thapsigargin (a $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor in endoplasmic reticulum) abolished the generation of pacemaker potentials and suppressed histamine-induced membrane depolarization. Furthermore, treatments with U-73122 (a phospholipase C inhibitor) or 5-fluoro-2-indolyl des-chlorohalopemide (FIPI; a phospholipase D inhibitor) blocked histamine-induced membrane depolarizations in ICCs. On the other hand, KT5720 (a protein kinase A inhibitor) did not block histamine-induced membrane depolarization. These results suggest that histamine modulates pacemaker potentials through H1 receptor-mediated pathways via external $Ca^{2+}$ influx and $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores in a PLC and PLD dependent manner.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2008

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS can act as modulators of neuronal activity, and are critically involved in persistent pain primarily through spinal mechanisms. In the present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out to investigate the effects of tert-buthyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH), an ROS, on neuronal excitability and the mechanisms underlying changes of membrane excitability. In current clamp condition, application of t-BuOOH caused a reversible membrane depolarization and firing activity in substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. When slices were pretreated with phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN) and ascorbate, ROS scavengers, t-BuOOH failed to induce membrane depolarization. However, isoascorbate did not prevent t-BuOOH-induced depolarization, suggesting that the site of ROS action is intracellular. The t-BuOOH-induced depolarization was not blocked by pretreatment with dithiothreitol (DTT), a sulfhydryl-reducing agent. The membrane-impermeant thiol oxidant 5,5-dithiobis 2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) failed to induce membrane depolarization, suggesting that the changes of neuronal excitability by t-BuOOH are not caused by the modification of extrathiol group. The t-BuOOH-induced depolarization was suppressed by the phospholipase C (PLC) blocker U-73122 and inositol triphosphate ($IP_3$) receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenylbolate (APB), and after depletion of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ pool by thapsigargin. These data suggest that ROS generated by peripheral nerve injury can induce central sensitization in spinal cord, and t-BuOOH-induced depolarization may be regulated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store mainly via $PLC-IP_3$ pathway.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2013

Recent studies indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can act as modulators of neuronal activity, and are critically involved in persistent pain primarily through spinal mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of NaOCl, a ROS donor, on neuronal excitability and the intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in spinal substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. In current clamp conditions, the application of NaOCl caused a membrane depolarization, which was inhibited by pretreatment with phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN), a ROS scavenger. The NaOCl-induced depolarization was not blocked however by pretreatment with dithiothreitol, a sulfhydryl-reducing agent. Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to confirm whether NaOCl increases the intracellular ROS level. ROS-induced fluorescence intensity was found to be increased during perfusion of NaOCl after the loading of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate ($H_2DCF$-DA). NaOCl-induced depolarization was not blocked by pretreatment with external $Ca^{2+}$ free solution or by the addition of nifedifine. However, when slices were pretreated with the $Ca^{2+}$ ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin, NaOCl failed to induce membrane depolarization. In a calcium imaging technique using the $Ca^{2+}$-sensitive fluorescence dye fura-2, the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was found to be increased by NaOCl. These results indicate that NaOCl activates the excitability of SG neurons via the modulation of the intracellular calcium concentration, and suggest that ROS induces nociception through a central sensitization.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 1996

Agents that activate or inhibit the $Ca^{2+}$ release channel in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were tested for their abilities to affect the activity of the SR $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase. Vesicles of junctional SR (heavy SR, HSR) from terminal cisternae were prepared from porcine cardiac muscle by density gradient centrifugation. The steady-state activity of $Ca^{2+}$-ATPases in intact HSR vesicles was/$347{\pm}5\;nmol/min{\cdot}mg$ protein (${\pm}$ SD). When the HSR vesicles were made leaky, the activity was increased to $415{\pm}5\;nmol/min{\cdot}mg$ protein. This increase is probably due to the uncoupling of HSR vesicles. Caffeine (10 mM), an agonist of the SR $Ca^{2+}$ release channel, increased $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase activity in the intact HSR vesicle preparation to $394{\pm}30\;nmol/min{\cdot}mg$ protein. However, caffeine had no significant effect in the leaky vesicle preparation and in the purified $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase preparation. The effect of caffeine on SR $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase was investigated at various concentrations of $Ca^{2+}$. Caffeine increased the pump activity over the whole range of $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations, from $1\;{\mu}M$ to $250\;{\mu}M$, in the intact HSR vesicles. When the SR $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase was inhibited by thapsigargin, no caffeine effect was observed. These results imply that the caffeine effect requires the intact vesicles and that the increase in $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase activity is not due to a direct interaction of caffeine with the enzyme. We propose that the activity of SR $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase is linked indirectly to the activity of the $Ca^{2+}$ release channel (ryanodine receptor) and may depend upon the amount of $Ca^{2+}$ released by the channels.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.208-213
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• 2016

Prolonged ER stress (ERS) can be associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death in various heart diseases. In this study, we searched for microRNAs affecting ERS in the heart using in silico and in vitro methods. We found that miR-185 directly targets the 3′-untranslated region of Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger-1 (NHE-1), a protein involved in ERS. Cardiomyocyte ERS-triggered apoptosis induced by 100 ng/ml tunicamycin (TM) or 1 μM thapsigargin (TG), ERS inducers, was significantly reduced by miR-185 overexpression. Protein expression of pro-apoptotic markers such as CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and cleaved-caspase-3 was also markedly reduced by miR-185 in a dose-dependent manner. Cariporide (20 μM), a pharmacological inhibitor of NHE-1, also attenuated ERS-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes and CHOP protein expression, suggesting that NHE-1 plays an important role in ERS-associated apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Collectively, the present results demonstrate that miR-185 is involved in cardio-protection against ERS-mediated apoptotic cell death.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.290-296
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• 2013

In preliminary tests, we examined the effect of several fractions isolated from fermented pine needle extract on pacemaker potentials in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) from the mouse colon using a whole cell patch clamp technique. Among these fractions, Fraction 3 (F3) elicited the most powerful depolarization of membrane. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of F3 obtained from fermented extract of Pinus densiflora needle on pacemaker potentials in ICCs and to establish its mechanism of action. Colonic ICCs generated spontaneous periodic pacemaker potentials in the current-clamp mode. F3 depolarized the membrane and decreased the frequency and amplitude of pacemaker potentials in a dose-dependent fashion. The F3-induced effects on pacemaker potentials were blocked by methoctramine, a muscarinic $M_2$ receptor antagonist, and by glycopyrrolate, a muscarinic $M_3$ receptor antagonist. The F3-induced effects on pacemaker potentials were blocked by external $Na^+$-free solution and by flufenamic acid, a non-selective cation channel blocker, as well as by the removal of external $Ca^{2+}$ and in the presence of thapsigargin, a $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum. Taken together, these results suggest that F3 of pine needle extract modulates the pacemaker activity of colonic ICCs by the activation of non-selective cation channels via muscarinic $M_2$ and $M_3$ receptors. And external $Ca^{2+}$ influx and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release are involved in F3 actions on ICCs.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2014

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) are implicated in cellular signaling processes and as a cause of oxidative stress. Recent studies indicate that ROS and RNS are important signaling molecules involved in nociceptive transmission. Xanthine oxidase (XO) system is a well-known system for superoxide anions ($O{_2}^{{\cdot}_-}$) generation, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is a representative nitric oxide (NO) donor. Patch clamp recording in spinal slices was used to investigate the role of $O{_2}^{{\cdot}_-}$ and NO on substantia gelatinosa (SG) neuronal excitability. Application of xanthine and xanthine oxidase (X/XO) compound induced membrane depolarization. Low concentration SNP ($10{\mu}M$) induced depolarization of the membrane, whereas high concentration SNP (1 mM) evoked membrane hyperpolarization. These responses were significantly decreased by pretreatment with phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN; nonspecific ROS and RNS scavenger). Addition of thapsigargin to an external calcium free solution for blocking synaptic transmission, led to significantly decreased X/XO-induced responses. Additionally, X/XO and SNP-induced responses were unchanged in the presence of intracellular applied PBN, indicative of the involvement of presynaptic action. Inclusion of GDP-${\beta}$-S or suramin (G protein inhibitors) in the patch pipette decreased SNP-induced responses, whereas it failed to decrease X/XO-induced responses. Pretreatment with n-ethylmaleimide (NEM; thiol-alkylating agent) decreased the effects of SNP, suggesting that these responses were mediated by direct oxidation of channel protein, whereas X/XO-induced responses were unchanged. These data suggested that ROS and RNS play distinct roles in the regulation of the membrane excitability of SG neurons related to the pain transmission.